Naval Air Station Oceana

A once-remote auxiliary air station that sprung from the mud flats of old Princess Anne County near the whistle stop of Oceana, from which it gets its name, Naval Air Station Oceana has advanced in the decades since World War II to become the navy's East Coast master jet base and one of the largest and most advanced air stations in the world. Through interviews, exhaustive research and rare and often never-before-seen photographs, author and historian Yarsinske tells the story of vision, courage and commitment that reinforce what Admiral Michael G. Mullen, then chief of naval operations, said of Oceana when he testified before the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) commission regional hearings on August 4, 2005, his words just as relevant today as they were then. “We know how important it is to our training. We know how important it is to our preparation for warfighting. We know how important it is to be good neighbors, and we will continue to be. Our sailors and their families – and I include my own family on that list – enjoy living in the wonderful communities of the great state of Virginia,” he continued. “Mr. Chairman [Anthony Principi], I need now – your navy needs now – Naval Air Station Oceana.”

AMY WATERS YARSINSKE is the author of several best-selling, award-winning non-fiction books. Her drive to document and investigate history-shaping stories and people has already led to over 60 non-fiction books, most of them spotlighting current affairs, the military, history and the environment. Amy graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and Economics. She earned her Master of Planning from the University of Virginia School of Architecture, where she was a DuPont Fellow and Lawn/Range resident.